FSC Amilo Pro V3515 review

It's as cheap as it gets, but don't let that put you off

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Our Verdict

It may be cheap but it doesn't skimp on power or features

For

The cheapest we've ever seen

Good usability

Against

Limited power and performance

Fujitsu Siemens produce an ever increasing number of affordbale but practical laptops. At £363 (inc. VAT) the Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Pro V3515 is the best-priced laptop we've ever reviewed. The look is sophisticated with a black and silver chassis and grey keys.

The keyboard sits squarely in the middle of the large body, so there are large palm rests. The keys are firmly mounted and come with a good deal of travel, making for comfortable typing.

The 15.4-inch screen comes with a standard TFT panel, so you won't find any distracting reflections as with a Super-TFT panel, but the downside is that it isn't all that bright or clear. To make matters worse, the screen was extra dull when running on battery power. Even when we altered the settings, we found it still lacked a degree of clarity.

Graphics are supplied as part of the chipset, so you won't be able to do anything multimedia-based, such as editing video or playing games. However, it's fine for viewing web 2.0 sites, watching DVDs or everyday work tasks.

Entry-level chip

Power is supplied by an Intel Celeron M processor. This budget CPU is an entry-level chip and lacks the raw power of Intel's Pentium M or Core Duo chips.

If you're simply buying a laptop for standard tasks, such as writing emails and surfing the internet, this will be satisfactory. However, don't expect it to handle anything too complex.

Backed by 512MB of memory and shipped with a 60GB hard drive, in line with the norm at this price point. We found it pleasing to use in daily use.

Weighing in at 2.8kg, you'll find this a semi-portable laptop and, due to plenty of protection behind the screen and on the base of the unit, it's tough enough for travel use. Connectivity is handled by the current mainstream fixed and wireless adapters, so you'll be able to use this laptop regardless of location.

In terms of battery life, the larger chassis allows for a reasonably-sized battery pack. Under test, this machine lasted for 147 minutes which, considering it runs Windows XP, is more than satisfactory for day-to-day use.

There is no denying that the Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Pro V3515 offers excellent value for money. It may not be the most powerful machine and the screen isn't as bright as some others, but the keyboard and all-round usability more than make up for this, making this a good machine at a great price.